United Memorial launches residency program

United Memorial Medical Center plans to host its first residency program, UMMC officials said Monday.

The Batavia health system plans to initially have four Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Doctor of Osteopathy graduates working at its hospital and to eventually scale the program up to 12 as residents move through the three year program. D.O. graduates complete the virtually same coursework and clinical training as M.D.s, but add 300 to 500 extra hours of training related to the human musculoskeletal system.

“As a teaching hospital, United Memorial will be at the forefront of the latest medical developments and be able to provide improved quality of care,” UMMC president and CEO Mark Schoell said.

To clear the way for the residency program the hospital completed an American Osteopathic Association credentialing program last month.